Bearing adjusting nut wrench



Dec. 20, 1927. 1,653,531

E. T. AFFLECK ET AL BEARING ADJUSTING NUT WRENCH Filed Jan.26 1925 INVENTORJ Patented Dec. 20, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELLIS T. AFFLEGK AND ROBERT G. BENNETT, OF ESSEX, ONTARIO, CANADA; SAID BENNETT ASSIGNOR TO SAID AFFLECK.

BEARING-ADJUSTING-NUT WRENCH.

Application filed January 26, 1925. Serial No. 4,717.

This invention relates to hearing adjusting nut wrenches and the object of the invention is to provide a wrench for adjusting or removing the bearing adjusting nut for the rear wheels of automotive vehicles.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a wrench by which the bearing adjusting nuts may be removed from rear axle, differential, and transmission housings even when rusted in place or expanded by constant wear so as to be im possible of removal except by an acetylene torch.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide a bearing adjusting nut wrench in which the power of the automobile engine may be applied to the wrench to remove a firmly embedded bearing adjusting nut.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bearing adjusting nut wrench which may be also turned by hand for adjusting the bearing or for removing bearing adjusting nuts which have not become fixed in the housing.

These objects and the several novel featurse of the invention are hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and the preferred form of construction by which these objects are attained is shown in the accom panying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a section through a rear wheel bearing showing our improved wrench as applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation of the bearing adjusting nut wrench and bearing adjusting nut with which it is used;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the bea ring ad justin nut wrench taken from the left of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a section through an alternative type ot bearing adjusting nut wrench.

As shown in, Fig. 1 the usual rear axle of the automobile is provided with a stationary housing 1 in which the axle 2 is rotatably mounted. The housing 1 may be p ovided with a flange 3 for supporting the brake bands, and an internally threaded annular flange l is provided about the axle into which he bearing for the aisle is threaded; The lr eotn'prisestwe parts, an outer bear-in adjusting nut 5 and an inner annular portion 6 between which the roller bearings 7 are mounted. The bearing adjusting nut 5 is provided with a series 01? extending teeth or lugs 8, and the wrench is formed with a series of teeth or lugs 9 adapted to fit between the teeth 8 of the bearing adjusting nut 5, as will be understood from Figs. 1 and 2. The nut 5 and memberb with the rollers 7 are slipped onto the tapered end of the axle 2, and the wrench which is provided with a tapered aperture 10 for the shaft is slipped over the tapered end of the shaft with the teeth 9 engaging in the teeth 8, at which time by application of a monkey wrench to the squared end 11, the bearing adjusting nut wrench may be turned to thread the bearing adjusting nut 5 into the member 4. By this arrangement the bearing may be adjusted in the flange 4 to properly support the axle or shaft 2. As the bearing becomes worn in use the wear may be taken up by means of the bearing ual power applied to the bearing adjusting nutwrench, and the inner edge of the adjusting nut 5 is sometimes flanged out in this manner so as to prevent removal of the bearing for replacement. The bearing adjusting nut 5 also occasionally becomes rusted in the flange 4 or broken and the usual procedure when the bearing has become rusted in place, expanded. or broken is to remove the bearing with an acetylene blow torch, which is a costly operation and liable to be injurious to other parts besides the bearing being removed.

lVith our improved bearing adjusting nut wrench, when a bearing adjusting nut of this type becomes fixed in the hous 'g' the layer the axle fitted in the keys" A 3.2 provided in the bearing wrench, and the nut 18 shown in lfig. 1 is drawn up to secure the wrench tightly to the shaft or axle 2 and cause the teeth 9 to engage in the teeth 8 of the bearing adjusting nut. this time the opposite rearwheel and axle are secured from rotation and by means of the transmission, the low speed gear is connected to drive the propeller shaft of the automobile and the oute mobile clutch may be engaged to rotate the axle 2 which rotates the bearing adjusting nut wrench and by means oi? the teeth 8 and 9 rotates the bearing adjusting nut. As the opposite rear wheel and are held tionary the full power of the engine is applied to the bearing adju ting nut wrench and under this tre..- endous leverage the hearing. adjusting nut is turned in the flange 4. It is important that the clutch be engaged only momentarily or in short quick erlrs to loosen the bearing; nut, and as soon the bearingnut is loosened the nut 13 may be removed from the axle to allow the bearing nut to be unthreaded troin the housing either by hand or by a wrench applied to the squared end 11 ot the bearing wrench. If it is desired to remove the bearing nut entirely by motive power, the nut 13 may be turned up to force the bearing wrench to po-- sition, and then may be removed before the power is applied. at which time the un threading of the bearing nut will merely baclr the bearings; wrench'otl' the axle. By conuecting the rever e or forward speed gears oi? the transmission, the axle 2 and bearing; nut wrench may be rotated in one direction or the other for either threading the bearing}; into the housing; 1 or removing); it from the axle housing, though the greatest utility of the bearing adjusting; nut wrench when connected to the axle is for the removal oi thebrolren mutilated or QXPWMI:

ed bearing, because when the hearing; has

once been renuwed a new hearing; may be easily n'iouuted inthe housing and adjusted by leverage applied to the hearing. adjusting}; nut wrench by hand.

in some instances the liicaring adjusting nut 5 is provided with teeth which. are i flanged outwardly instead or? eutei'idiug; ax-

, ially shown in Fig and for this purpose the bearing adjustii nut wrench may be. provided as shown in i with teeth or lugs 14 e..'endin parallel with the axis of the anle for engaging the outwardly flanged teeth or lugs of the bearing; adjusting nut.

Then the bearingg adjustiv nut wrench is used on transmission adjust nuts. the aperture 10 in the wrench, instead of being round as shown in ig. 3, will. be square to fit the square shafts of the transmission.

From the foregoing description it becomes evident that the device is very simple and elhment 1n. operation, Wlll noteasily get out of order, provides a meansfor adjusting a housing into which the bearing adjusting.

nut is threaded and in which the bearing adjusting nut is "provided with lugs extendin roin the housing and in which the shaft is provided with a key, comprising a body portion apertured to fit the shaft and having a keyway by which the wrench may be ser cured to the shaft, one end of the wrench being squared to which leverage may be manually applied to rotate the wrench, and

the opposite. end 01. the wrench being provided with a flange having lugs for engaging the lugs or the liiearing adjusting nut.

2. A wrench for removing the notched adjustii'i nuts of bearings for aides of an nut-.0- mobile wheel in which there is a stationary housing; for the bearing and in which the axle projects beyond the bearing and is provided with key, comprising a body member longitudinally apertured to fitover the projecting end of the axle, lugs proided at the inner end thereof fitting the notches oi? the adjusting nut, said body having" lteyway adapting it to be keyed to the arrle and turned by rotation thereof relative to the stationary housing.

3. the rear axle assembly of an automobile, said wrench comprising a tubular body adapted. to on an end portion of the rear axle, said tul'uilar body havii I spaced logs on its inner end tor engaging with the usual. lugs on, the outer end of the looming retainer, said wrench body having internal means for en" with the aide to prevent rotation ot' the wrench body on the axle and to permit axial movement otthe wrench. body on the axle.

l. A wrench for the bearing retainer of the rear axle asscn'ibl y or an automobile, said wrench comprising a tubular body adapted to (it on an end portion of therear axle, said tubular-body having spaced lugs on its inner end for engaging with the usual lugs on the outer end oi the bearing retainer. said wrench body l'iavingr alongitudinally extending heyway in the inner wall oi its outer end portion tor engaging with the usual. spline on the rear axle.

in a wrench for removing auton'iohile axle housing nuts, a. barrel constructed for disposition upon the end of the automobile axle in lieu of the us .l wheel means at the inner end of thebarrcl for pos cive engage ment with the nut, and a key connection be llf) tween the axle and said barrel, whereby when the axle is rotated the nut will be turned from the housing.

6. In a Wrench for removing nuts from automobile axle housings, a barrel having a tapered bore extending longitudinally therethrough so as to permit the disposition of the barrel upon the tapered end of an. automobile axle in lieu of the usual wheel, a key connection between the axle and the barrel, 10

In testimony whereof we sign this speci- 15 fication.

ELLIS T. AFFLEOK. ROBERT Gr. BENNETT. 

